Introduction: Build Your Own Mirror Telescope by Reuse Material!!

Space is big, fantastic and mysterious. Many people love to look at the sky and dream to explore the space. One of the methods to see space is using a telescope. However, the telescope in the market is so expensive so this intractable will show how to make a low-price mirror telescope by reuse material and it is easy to make it by yourself. I’m sure that my mirror telescope will inspire you to have one. If I can do it, anyone can!

Step 2: Research and Design

Step 3: Lens Calculator

-Concave lens, Primary mirror measurement

First, place any screen in front of the wall and then place the mirror in front of it. Next move mirror forward backward until you get the sharpest image on the wall. Then measure the distance from the mirror to screen and mirror to the wall and do a calculation by the following equation.

1/i + 1/o = 1/f

i Is distance from the mirror to monitor

o is a distance from the mirror to wall

f is the focal length

Mine is approx. 72 cm so my design will be based on this lens. If your lens get difference focal point, you have to change the length of telescope case

Eyepiece

This part I use trial and error for finding the best by moving the lens forward and backward (change length between secondary mirror and lens) until you get the clear picture. For mine, I got 7 cm from telescope case and 10 cm from eyes.

Step 4: Layout and Cut

- After design, we will draw the layout of the parts on the hardboard by pencil. We use hardboard because it is easy to find, and it has a low price.

- Cut the cardboard by a saw or an electric saw.

- Smooth the hardboard edge with sandpaper.

- Make a hole by a drill for some parts and use a hole saw to make a big hole.

Attachments

Step 5: Cut the Mirror

- It this project we use makeup mirror to be a Concave lens and a secondary mirror because of makeup mirror easy to find. From the experiment, makeup mirror can use to be a telescope mirror but the picture is not clear as the real telescope mirror, but it is cheapest.

- Remove the 2 side of a makeup mirror to be a concave lens and a secondary mirror.

- cutting secondary mirror from makeup mirror

In this part I suggest you to use the glass cutter to cut your mirror but if you don’t have you also can cut it with the hot wire. Cutting with the hot wire you must prepare a hot wire (run high current thru wire) and bath of water. You have to put the hot wire on the mirror at the line that you want to cut and wait about 1-2 minute and then put that mirror in a water, it will break along the line otherwise you have to wait till it cold then do it again.

Step 6: Combine Frame and Lens

- Combine 4 piece of hardboard (frame01.DXF x1, frame02.DXF x1, frame03.DXF x2) together with glue and use sticky tape to make it tight. (make sure that 4 pieces of hardboard are rectangular)

- Attach 4 pieces of rectangular wood to the bottom of the frame, that we already made the last step, in order to hold the makeup lens.